A Nurse's Thoughts on Natural Medicine

More people vacation during the summer months than at any other time of year. And the topic of “airport angina”—an old cardiology phrase—may be getting tossed around now more than usual. But what, exactly, does it mean?

Essentially, “airport angina” is a phrase coined to describe heart symptoms of ischemia (lack of oxygen to the heart) that are provoked by hauling and lifting luggage. And getting angina when you’re far from home is always an unsettling experience.

Of course, we all know that there’s more to traveling than lugging luggage, regardless of your mode of transportation. But airports are fraught with a few more built-in stressors than other forms of travel, including:

• scheduling and weather concerns;
• airport security;
• flight delays;
• cancelled flights and rerouting;
• tight connections and time urgency;
• dread about lost luggage; and so on.

So, the psychological stress combined with the isometric physical work of carrying your bags is sort of “like being in double handcuffs,” as Dr. Sinatra would say.

And, let’s face it, all traveling and vacationing has the potential for some family and other unpredictable stressors, in addition to the physical exertion of lifting bags onto “trains, planes, and automobiles.”

Dr. Sinatra will be addressing the topic of safe air travel for cardiac patients in an upcoming issue of Heart, Health, and Nutrition. And in a few days, I’ll post another blog on how heart patients can manage their luggage from a physical exertion standpoint. So, stay tuned!

For more information on angina and other cardiovascular problems, visit Dr. Sinatra’s Web site.

No matter what time of year, seems like we are always looking to detox and to manage our weight! Through the winter months, I convince myself that weight management will be easier in the warm weather when I can work in the yard; walk about more freely without ice, snow, and storms to contend with; enjoy longer days and more light and natural vitamin D; and so on.

Then, from my midsummer night’s dream I awaken to realize that longer days mean the joy of more social activities; more meals out with family and friends; more grab ‘n go food on our jaunts to be out of doors more; and on it goes.

This summer, Dr. Sinatra and I were mindful to create healthy, farm stand meals at home to balance dining out during vacation and business trips. And we added daily juicing to offset our dietary indiscretions.

Dr. Sinatra’s sister, Dr. Maria Seidel, got us jumpstarted. She stayed with us after taking her nursing students to Costa Rica. There, her local hosts made her fresh juice from their organically grown gardens every morning for three weeks. Maria came home feeling like a million bucks, and juiced us every morning of her visit. Now, we are all hooked!  

Instead of an occasional juice meal to detox, Dr. Sinatra and I have made juicing a regular breakfast ritual. In fact, we both feel so much better physically and mentally that we got motivated to maintain the “habit” even when we are on the road. If we feel we have overindulged, we compensate by juicing for dinner as well.  All those live enzymes are nature’s way of cleansing and restoring your GI tract, nurturing all the cells in your body, and boosting your immune system, as well as your overall energy.

Traveling in your own car with a cooler is the easiest way to maintain a juicy life. You can pack some organic fruits and veggies to juice along with your Vitamix, Cuisinart blender/food processor, or juicer. We actually find the Vitamix and Cusinart less messy, easier to clean, AND you don’t lose all the nutrients in the pulp strained and discarded in traditional juicers. The juice is more of a textural experience as well, which we enjoy—and there’s more fiber included to boot.

When staying in hotels, we looked for those with a kitchen set up or a counter with an available electrical outlet. If we can find a Jamba-juice kind of place when we travel by air, that’s a big plus too!

There are plenty of juice recipes out there to get you started if you are new at it, but feel free to be creative and have fun too! Pick the ingredients you like to eat. Dr. Sinatra’s favorite is to combine leafy greens with fresh fruit, beets, and a splash of ginger.

Here is one if his favorites. Combine one or all from each category:

• Berries: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries
• Other fruit: apple, banana, kiwi (no citrus)
• Vegetable: Beets are our breakfast favorite (but mixed veggie juices are great for lunch and dinner) 
• Ginger: skin and add fresh ginger to taste
• Greens: Swiss chard, baby spinach, parsley, kale, broccolini
• Add water or ice to get consistency for easy pouring

To prepare:

1. Just wash and cut fresh, hopefully organic, produce in chunks.
2. To liquefy in blender/processor, we use “chop” setting, then use food processor setting to make finer. If you use juicer, just turn it on.
3. Enjoy.

Note: These juices don’t keep long or store well, so make just enough for your meal.

For more great recipes and other cardiovascular nutrition tips, visit Dr. Sinatra’s Web site.

There has been some controversy about the effectiveness of medicinal footbaths. Dr. Sinatra and I have experienced several of them in exhibit halls at major health expos. You can imagine the numerous venders who propose many health benefits from using their products, particularly detoxification. The concept involves sitting with your feet in a small tub of water. Then, devices and solutions are added to promote detoxification.

Sodium chloride salt is usually sprinkled in the warm water and an electrode added with a positive and negative electronic charge to create a high energy complex in the water. Proponents claim that the color changes noted in the water colors represent different toxins being drawn out of the body through the feet—toxins coming from the liver, lymph glands, joints, fatty tissue, etc.

Now, while it’s true that the water does change color in these footbaths, it would do so even if your feet were not placed in the water. However, those colors do appear darker and thicker when the feet are immersed. So, what could possibly be going on?

Some proponents of the medicinal footbath claim that the highly charged water creates an energy complex that acts on the acupuncture meridians in the feet, reaching multiple systems in the body. Now remember, Dr. Sinatra is from Missouri, so you gotta show him! 

At one such anti-aging conference years back, Dr. Sinatra looked at these foot baths with a very skeptical eye. Although the theory seemed plausible, we were both thinking it a bit of a parlor trick that it could energize the body at the same time, despite positive testimonials from people who feel better after using the bath. Then one distributor offered some science: a live visual of microscopic serum analysis of blood viscosity pre- and post- footbath. 

The pre-treatment blood showed red blood cells stacked on one another like poker chips, known as rouleaux (pronounced rooo- low). Rouleaux formation indicates clumpy, sticky blood and increased blood viscosity, a risk factor for cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack and stroke. The post-foot bath blood analysis revealed red blood cells that were not sticking together; they were flowing freely in the microscopic field.

Mildly impressed, but still skeptical, Dr. Sinatra and I joined two another MD colleagues and tried the footbath for ourselves—and had the same blood results. For my husband, there was even relief of his right hip pain. The intervention had also included drinking a solution called Ioncleanse, a mixture of silver chloride and other minerals. The internalization of the minerals and the external charge are supposed to raise the overall energy field, thus making the detoxification and energetic process even more profound.

Needless to say, we all ordered footbaths for our own homes.

That was back in 2004. Flash forward to today, and many health professionals endorse footbaths and are convinced they may be a vital tool in energizing and detoxifying the body. Even the prestigious Townsend Letter described how the footbath works.

For now, we continue to have an open mind that the footbath may even be a viable intervention to reduce blood viscosity and inflammation—two factors that contribute to developing and worsening of heart disease. And the benefits of detox cannot be underscored; inflammation is the root of many illnesses.

We have the most experience with B. E. S. T. (Bio-Electric Stimulating Technique) footbath, and there are many others in the marketplace. Some companies offer electrodes that can be placed in your own bathtub. Many alternative medicine practitioners offer footbath treatments in their office or clinic if you want to experience one yourself.

For more information on cardiovascular problems, as well as new ways to reduce heart risk factors, visit Dr. Sinatra’s Web site.

Reference:
Walker M, Walker R.  IonCleanse detoxification—getting the issues out of tissues. Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients. 2004:101-104.

With the summer starting to fade into fall, Dr. Sinatra and I are getting in all the grilling we can while the weather is still warm and the days are still long. So, in the spirit of great grilling and healthy heart nutrition, here are a few of our favorite recipes.

Grilled Chicken Teriyaki
(Makes 2 servings)

• 8 to 10 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, split and pounded thin
• 2 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. dry sherry
• ½ cup unsweetened canned pineapple juice
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 slices canned pineapple
• 1 scallion, slivered

Place chicken breast in a shallow glass or ceramic pan. Combine soy sauce, honey, sherry, pineapple juice, and ginger, and pour over chicken breast. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours. Heat grill pan and cook chicken for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Discard any remaining marinade. Grill pineapple briefly if desired. Garnish with scallions and pineapple.

Nutrition Facts per Serving: Calories 220; Total Fat 3 g Sodium 786 mg Total Carbohydrate 21 g Fiber 1 g; Protein 25 g

Grilled Red Snapper
(Makes 4 servings)

• 1 lb. red snapper fillet
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• Fresh ground pepper

Preheat broiler. Combine olive oil and lemon juice and brush on filet. Season both sides of snapper with pepper. Grill five inches from broiler for 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

Nutrition Facts per Serving: Calories 140; Total Fat 6 g Sodium 75 mg Total Carbohydrate < 0.5 g Fiber 0 g; Protein 49 g

Chickpea Salad with Rosemary
(Makes 2 servings)

This salad is a great accompaniment to either chicken or fish. I like to use rosemary and parsley right from my herb garden!

• 1 (15 oz.) can unsalted or low sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 Tbsp. red onion, chopped
• 2 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and chill for several hours or overnight.

Nutrition Facts per Serving: Calories 290; Total Fat 15 g Sodium 56 mg Total Carbohydrate 133 g Fiber 13 g; Protein 42 g

For more information on healthy heart nutrition or some of Dr. Sinatra’s famous recipes, visit his Web site at www.drsinatra.com.

Dr. Sinatra has long believed in the famous words of Hippocrates, the Greek physician of centuries past who is now recognized as the “Father of Medicine.” Hippocrates employed food to assist his patients in healing their physical ailments. With all our high tech medical approaches and complex pharmaceutical agents, it is amazing how much we have forgotten that simple approach!

After years of applying nutritional solutions to the myriad faces of heart disease—high blood pressure levels; chronic hypertension; high triglycerides; elevated L(p)a; angina; and heart attack and stroke—Dr. Sinatra has finally answered his patients’ many requests for a book that they can have as a reference at home. His research and personal experiences with his family, friends, and cardiac patients has continually impressed my husband that Hippocrates was so right on—and provided the foundation for this effort.     

Dr. Sinatra has collaborated with former pro athlete and health editor Jim Healthy, as well as recipe queen Rebecca Bent to write Bottom Line’s The Healing Kitchen. The Healing Kitchen is a strategic resource for making healthy grocery selections and healing meal planning guidelines, as well as specific recipes to assist you in selecting the right healthy foods to meet your specific health and fitness needs.

Subscribers to Heart, Health, and Nutrition have been reading Dr. Sinatra’s take on which foods, herbs, and supplements can help with their cardiovascular problems (not to mention cancer and other diseases caused by inflammation) for many years. Now all that information and more is the basis for this one reference to help guide you to foods that can heal your body.

For instance, the omega 3 essential fatty acids—especially those found in squid and fish oils—assuage cardiac arrhythmia, lower blood pressure levels, reduce LDL cholesterol levels, and even prevent plaque rupture.

Garlic is a potent blood thinner and, like onions which are rich in quercetin, helps you prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Garlic and onions are both superb foods for lowering blood pressure levels. And, speaking of hypertension, Dr. Sinatra also recommends sardines and wakame seaweed as natural blood pressure lowering foods.

And that’s just the beginning! Did you know that the right diet can help alleviate your migraines headaches, or that non-inflammatory foods can heal your arthritis?

Foods can also protect women from menopausal symptoms, as well as heal and protect us from cancer. The lutein in tomatoes along with pumpkin seeds and other fine herbs and spices can help men with their prostate concerns. From heart disease and diabetes to sleep and sex, The Healing Kitchen will educate you about natural, tasty remedies for many of the illnesses that afflict the 20th century. 

If you are looking to use simple, healthy foods, herbs and spices to get your body back on track, and keep it there, you will love this book!

For more information on healthy heart nutrition or some of Dr. Sinatra’s famous recipes, visit his Web site at www.drsinatra.com.

The dangers of excess refined carbohydrate and sugar consumption are downright endemic in our society. Sugar causes a myriad of health concerns from obesity and diabetes to high blood pressure levels and cardiovascular problems. Excess sugar is even a major culprit in anxiety, depression, fatigue, and pain.

As Dr. Sinatra has warned in lectures, books, newsletters, e-letters, and blogs, elevated blood sugar stokes inflammatory processes that fuel disease. In fact, his concern for the overconsumption of sugar is what led Dr. Sinatra co-author Sugar Shock in 2006 with Connie Bennett.

Dr. Sinatra also recommends Beat Sugar Addiction NOW! (Fair Winds Press, March 2010), the newest book from one of Dr Sinatra’s “top docs,” Jacob Teitelbaum, MD.  In the book, Dr. Teitelbaum reveals four types of sugar habits and their hidden causes. “Understanding your sugar addiction type, you can take steps to beat it and in the same stroke improve your overall health,” says Dr Teitelbaum. “Knowing the type of sugar addict you are also helps to solve many other chronic medical problems.”

By understanding your metabolic makeup, you are more likely to succeed in kicking your sugar habit. See if you recognize yourself as one the types Dr. Teitelbaum describes:

• Type 1. Sugar addiction driven by fatigue. This is characterized by being hooked on so-called “energy drinks,” which are in reality energy loan sharks.
• Type 2. Sugar addiction driven by adrenal exhaustion. This is when your body's stress handlers (the adrenal glands) are exhausted by the stresses of modern life. It is characterized by intermittent feelings of “feed me now or I'll kill you!”
• Type 3. Sugar addiction driven by yeast/Candida overgrowth. In addition to fatigue and sugar cravings, this is often associated with digestive problems (irritable bowel syndrome/spastic colon) and chronic nasal congestion or sinusitis.
• Type 4. Sugar addiction driven by depression and anxiety caused by hormonal shifts. These include PMS, perimenopause and menopause in women, and andropause (testosterone deficiency) in men.

The best part of his down-to-earth approach is that Dr. Teitelbaum doesn’t give you some insurmountable goals to achieve. He doesn’t wasn’t you to obsess about it! Rather, he shows you how to simply make sugar your dessert, instead of the main course!

For a good chuckle, and an introduction to the four sugar addiction types defined in the book, check out the animation promo on YouTube.

And for more information on proper nutrition or other health concerns, visit Dr. Sinatra's Web site.

I have long considered myself to be the farmers’ market queen. There is nothing more appetizing to me than going to a local farmers’ market and selecting from the bright display of fresh produce—and even some cascading flowers to make your dinner table colorful and engaging.

Well, imagine my delight one evening as I entered a restaurant in nearby Providence, Rhode Island, to see a photo of the book above on a marquee display. I may not have been invited to the goings-on that night, but I quickly jotted down the name of the book with the cover that appealed to my summer-lovin’ soul—The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Cookbook—and later ordered myself a copy.

Author Amelia Saltsman is a well-known journalist and television personality in the Santa Monica area who has put together a great resource you may want to know about. After over 20 years of shopping at this famous southern California farm stand, talking with its farmers, and cooking up it’s cornucopia of fruits and vegetables, she has compiled what her subtitle promises: seasonal foods, simple recipes, and stories from the market and farm. If the content doesn’t have you jumping in your car to find a local farmer’s market, the photography will.

Though she doesn’t discuss how to avoid genetically modified produce, she does help the novice navigate the market and plan ahead.

Additionally, some of her recipes need be to tweaked a bit for health (i.e. substituting organic low-fat yogurt for the heavy cream in a dessert). But short of a few minor healthy heart nutrition adjustments, the book is a real winner.

Best of all, most of the recipes align nicely with Dr. Sinatra’s PAMM guidelines. (For a quick and engaging video of Dr. Sinatra discussing Top 12 healing foods—most of which you can find in the laid back atmosphere of a local farm market—take a look at his video discussion on the subject.

Also, check back in a week or so to read about Dr. Sinatra’s newest book on how to use healing foods to get your health back, or to keep from losing it in the first place. You won’t want to miss it!

In the meantime, for more information on cardiovascular nutrition or great heart-healthy recipes, visit Dr. Sinatra’s Web site.

Even as a medical student, Dr. Sinatra was taught that the average diabetic ages 15 years quicker than the average non-diabetic. We watched that dire prediction come true for Dr. Sinatra’s diabetic mother, as well as our diabetic patients.

But it makes sense—if you have problems with sugar metabolism, that you’re going to age quicker, and we know now that it’s because the sugar and proteins create glycolated proteins in the body, and these cause accelerated aging.

Now we have another recent finding to support what we observed, but specifies yet another possible root cause: PHOPHATES.

An investigator from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine teamed up with a colleague from the Department of Pathology at Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in Japan to perform provocative animal research with three groups of mice. Their bottom line finding was that phosphates—the “fizzy” part of sodas that we have cautioned our family, friends, and patients to avoid—may accelerate the aging process in humans as well as their rodent counterparts.

Even though the exact physiology of phosphate toxicity is not yet known in mammals, lead researcher Dr. Razzaque reports that phosphates represent a culprit behind the prevalence of age-related medical problems and complications such as cardiovascular problems, kidney disease, and weakened skin and muscular structures.

So, for an alternative to those sugary summery drinks, consider something equally cold and refreshing, but much more nutritious. Green tea over ice with zesty lemon and a spring of lime is one of our favorites. You can also try natural mineral water sweetened with flavored liquid stevia or mixed with a puree of your favorite fruit. I am particularly partial to watermelon or strawberries!

For more information on general or cardiovascular nutrition and other great heart-healthy recipes, visit Dr. Sinatra’s Web site.

There is an interesting video that has been abuzz on the Internet this summer. This simply done animated tale is an 8-minute tongue-in-cheek look at our cosmetic industry. And while humor abounds, the take-home message is clear: most of us have no idea what is in the cosmetics we put on our body every day, let alone the safety of the myriad of unknown chemical ingredients that go into them.

Like the book Radiation Safety, this video also seems to have been made by a conscientious woman who started exploring what was in the everyday products she used at home—and learned more than she bargained for. Kudos to women who are proactive in getting answers when they are concerned about the safety of their homes and their children! I am in awe of the time, energy, patience, and determination that it takes to undertake such a project.

Produced by Free Range Studios, “The Ugly Truth of Toxins In, Toxins Out” also has a companion informational Web site. Both are part of the Story of Stuff Project. I love the creative minds at work!

After a presentation on the story behind cosmetics, we are all urged to be wary that our own bathroom may be a minefield of toxins. Some of the compounds in things like our daily shampoos contain chemicals that have never been tested for safety in terms of human consumption. Others may contribute to physical dilemmas ranging from cancer to infertility.

We have long known that fragrances in perfumes, hair sprays, and even some skin creams can trigger asthma and other lung issues for those who are environmentally sensitive. Dr. Sinatra and I have even seen cases where a cardiac arrhythmia was provoked by a toxic agent. 

On a positive note, I like their solution of finding “green chemists” who will safeguard our products. As is pointed out, we cannot trust our manufacturers and the FDA to make the changes in our regulatory system. It’s like leaving the wolf in charge of the hen house.

If you find this video as provocative as I did, then please pass it on. We do need to understand the system in order to step in. And sometimes laughing at a situation can poignantly accent the absurdities in our culture. After all, raising awareness about of the scope of any PROBLEM is the first step toward change.

For more information on overall health, cardiovascular problems, or heart risk factors, visit Dr. Sinatra’s Web site.

It’s a well-known fact that obesity is on a steady rise in U.S. since the introduction of high fructose corn syrup to our foods. Look for high fructose corn syrup on the your labels—some foods you may not even suspect have sugar in them!—and you may be amazed at how much sugar you are actually getting in your diet.

No wonder so many of us become sugar junkies without even realizing it. Our tendency to grab a quick carb pick-me-up can lead to anything from “brain fog" and fatigue to mood swings and cardiovascular problems. And that’s just what’s happening to non-diabetics.

People with type-2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and insulin resistance get heart disease at an alarming rate. That’s because they have problems with sugar metabolism. And sugar is useless in the body anyhow—it’s full of dead calories.

Whenever you eat sugar and refined carbohydrates, you get an insulin response. We know now that insulin is a pro-inflammatory hormone. People are drinking loads of sugary sodas, adding sugar to their tea and coffee, and consuming breads and pasta, bagels, and donuts and cookies in alarming amounts—we’re a sugar society. And then there’s that artificial high fructose corn syrup, which is even worse than sugar.

These sugars and refined carbs turn on an insulin response, and insulin causes inflammation of blood vessels. If you have surging insulin levels bouncing from high sugar to insulin, back to high sugar, then insulin and so on (i.e. the blood sugar rollercoaster), your cells to become inflamed and the first stage is set for inflammatory atherosclerosis.

The key is to avoid refined sugars and, to swear off high fructose corn syrup for good. And, if you want to read more about the dangers of sugar and how to cut sugar sources from your diet, I highly recommend Dr. Sinatra’s book Sugar Shock! How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life—and How You Can Get It Back on Track, which he co-authored with self-proclaimed sugar addict in recovery Connie Bennett.

For more information on general or cardiovascular nutrition, as well as heart risk factors, visit Dr. Sinatra’s Web site.

One of Dr. Sinatra’s safe at-home summer grilling tips is to always marinate your meat, fowl, or fish in the refrigerator, not the kitchen counter.  Set aside any extra sauce you wish to use for basting before it touches the raw foods.  We also follow the American Cancer Society warning to trim off visible fat before grilling, and cook it at a higher rack position so that it is farther from the heat. (Use only the minimum number of flames sources needed on your grill in order to reduce exposure to higher temperatures.)

But our KEY extra pointer that works is to rub your meats with rosemary. In the summer months, we have small pots of herbs on our patio so we can pick them fresh off the plant, but store-bought or dried rosemary can also work.

Rosemary helps to prevent the buildup of toxic carcinogens in the meats and even contains compounds that prevent skin cancers. It’s also a great antioxidant. You can add a drizzle of a light olive oil to the aid in the rosemary rub. Grapeseed oil is even better because it does not break down with high heat as much as olive oil can.

Lamb is the perfect complement to rosemary. Lamb is a rich, natural source of L-carnitine, an antioxidant that is one of Dr. Sinatra’s Awesome Foursome. A 4-ounce serving of lamb will net you about 75 mg of L-carnitine, a great energy substrate for cardiac muscle cells—and the entire body!

Remember, food can be your medicine. Here is a fun recipe that put our taste buds into orbit this summer.

And, stay tuned for more on Dr Sinatra’s new book about foods that heal. For even more great recipes and information on cardiovascular nutrition, check out Dr. Sinatra’s Web site.

Lamb a la Rosemary

• one organic New Zealand rack of lamb
• 1-2 tablespoons of grapeseed (preferred) or extra virgin olive oil
• leaves from a 3-4 inch sprig of fresh rosemary, finely chopped ( or1/2 tsp dried rosemary)

Combine oil and rosemary and rub lamb on both sides. Place in refrigerator for one to two hours. Remove and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on both sides over propane grill to desired doneness (at least 145 degrees). Place on clean place and garnish with sprig of fresh rosemary to serve.

I love summertime dining, farm stand meals, and harvesting my own crops from my container garden. (This week, I even cut and zip locked our own fresh basil, oregano, mint, and chives to take on vacation with us!)

But, I was recently perusing a friends gardening eLetter when I came across an important tip. If you reside in an older home that was ever painted with lead paint—even if those painted wood, shingles, trim, stucco, brick, or what-have-you was covered over with some kind of siding—never plant any edibles in beds next to the house. That means never plant fruit, veggies, herbs, or fruit-bearing trees in the soil near the house known—or suspected—to have been painted with lead-based paint.

Lead can leach out of weathered paint and remain in the soil for a long time. The lead is then absorbed by the plants, which is very dangerous.  We should be especially aware of this exposure for pregnant women and children.  Of course, all of us must avoid lead contamination!

When I shared this info with Dr. Sinatra, he was reminded of a famous French vineyard that was planted close to a highway. Leaded gas fumes penetrated the soils, and the wine was contaminated with lead when it was tested.

In the cardiology world, higher levels of lead in the body are associated with high blood pressure levels and an increased risk for heart attack in men. Excess lead in the body can cause also renal failure, and for our children, behavioral problems and more.

So, if you have an older home that may have been painted with a lead-based product, just don’t take any chances. Plant colorful flowers and shrubs for display close to the house, but nothing that could end up on your plate and/or in your body.

For more great information on cardiovascular nutrition or ways to lower blood pressure levels, visit Dr. Sinatra's Web site.

I am a self-proclaimed "Farm Stand Queen." I love to get local fruits and vegetables to add color, texture, nutrition, and healing perks to our summer meals at home. Plus, you get all of the perks of fresh fruits and vegetable—phytonutrients, antioxidants, carotenoids, fiber, enzymes, and so on. My personal favorite is asparagus on the grill—a family favorite and mainstay that can help lower blood pressure levels.  

Since dining on raw vegetables can offset the possible carcinogen exposure you may get by grilling meats and fish, I like to serve up colorful, raw vegetables on our patio dinner table. In addition to being refreshingly cooler, they are brimming with live enzymes that aid digestion and offset concerns we may have about high heat exposure to the main dishes. 

Two important vegetables that work in synergy to prevent cancer are broccoli (rich in sulphoraphane) and tomatoes (high in lycopene). They make great stand-alone side dishes. Serve them raw with hummus or add them to a fresh salad.

When it comes to safe and heart smart summer outdoor cooking, we are ON IT at www.drsinatra.com, which has just been updated and revamped, so we hope you will visit often.

Follow our blogs this summer for more recipes and info on summertime cooking.

Summer time always brings back-to-back yard basics, gathering on decks and patios to reconnect with family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. There is something just so primitive about sitting around a fire source as our ancestors have for centuries to warm ourselves as well as to celebrate rituals, tell stories, sing and chant, or dance to an eternal drum beat. All that is conjured up in spirit as we move outside in warmer months to be more at one with the earth.

But we need be mindful that we face more toxic substances with our artificial fires than in days gone by. For example, Dr. Sinatra and I used to love to barbeque chicken until I realized that grilling any meat over an open flame increases its carcinogenic potential twenty-fold! For a while, Dr. Sinatra even hung up his tongs and put the grill into semi-retirement until we learned some safer ways to grill.

Safe Summer Grilling Basics

Charcoal grilling releases carcinogenic agents—called PAH’s (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and HCA’s (heterocyclic amines)—as fat drips off the meat and onto charcoal. The longer the cook time, the more HCA’s are released by the fat in “muscle meats” whether they are broiled or pan-fried. The National Cancer Institute has identified 17 different HCA’s that we may be getting from pork, fish and foul (not just grilled meats) that increase our risk for colorectal and breast cancers.

Your best option is to use a propane-fueled gas grill.  Unlike charcoal that “burns dirty,” releasing sooty particles that produce natural hydrocarbons, gas grills burn clean.  Plus, you don’t have to worry about dangerous carcinogenic agents like you would with charcoal grilling.

Next, you want to make sure you’re practicing safe food handling.  Because outdoor barbecue grilling involves dry heat, many of us like to marinate food ahead of time to tenderize and flavor it. Dr. Sinatra and I are big marinade fans, but I always keep meats refrigerated during the marinating process.  If I want additional sauce, I set a portion of the marinade aside.  Or, if I decide to flavor the sauce with some of the meat juices, I make to sure to boil it first for at least one minute.

In addition to marinating your meat safely, you want to make sure it’s cooked thoroughly. I like my meat on the medium rare side, to preserve the nutritious enzymes they contain. But I make sure it’s heated up properly to avoid unwanted bacteria.  I cook vegetables the same way—using simple healthy seasonings like garlic and olive oil.

It’s also important to never serve your food on the same plate you used when you brought it out to the grill. The raw juices are full of bacteria. Keep your meat hot; the side of the grill rack is perfect for that. And, of course, scrub up that rack after each grilling so it’s clean for next time!

Finally, you can protect yourself from the high temperatures of barbeque grilling by marinating with a sauce that's 10 percent plain soy sauce and 1 percent sugar. See our August 12, 2009 blog for the recipe, and another discussion on COPs and HCAs, the highly carcinogenic compounds released from the fat of muscle meats.

For even more information on cardiovascular nutrition or other health concerns, visit www.drsinatra.com.

Did you know that children laugh an average of 400 times a day, while adults giggle only 15? Somewhere on the way to adulthood we lose the ability to laugh 385 times a day!

Up your laughter quotient with comedy videos or playing with your kids, grandkids, nieces, or nephews. In one study with cardiac patients, which lasted more than a year, individuals who watched a comedy show on a daily basis had significantly lower stress hormone levels and blood pressure levels, and they needed less medication.

Dr. Sinatra and I personally love to laugh along with Jerry Seinfeld, George Carlin, or Robin Williams. Dr. Sinatra is also a huge fan of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and never fails to laugh and laugh every time he watches that movie.

What tickles your funny bone? Let us know so we can all enjoy the benefits of laughter together!

For more information on alternative therapies for cardiovascular problems, visit www.drsinatra.com. While there, sign up for FREE e-letters or subscribe to Dr. Sinatra’s monthly newsletter, Heart, Health & Nutrition.

One fairly common problem that comes with aging is leaking heart valves. When valves become damaged from the effects of time or illness, blood can leak backward through the heart and cause a strain on the organ. This problem may manifest as shortness of breath, palpitations, rapid heart rhythm, irregular or skipped heart beats, discomfort in the chest, or ankle swelling.

Severe shortness of breath was the symptom that recently brought a new patient to see Dr. Sinatra. She was a 78-year-old newsletter reader who had attended a subscriber seminar last year. Her heart rate was faster than normal, and whenever she became emotionally upset, her breathing difficulties got worse. Her problem was a leaking mitral valve—a frequent site of dysfunction, especially in people over 60. When you add emotional stress, you are really looking for trouble. Blood pressure levels go even higher, there’s more leakage, and the heart strains even more.

Dr. Sinatra reminded her that she had to be extra careful about emotional stress because of the condition of her valve. She was already quite aware that stress was a problem for her. Years ago, she took low-dose tranquilizers to calm her down, but she hadn’t wanted to stay on the drugs because she feared addiction.

Dr. Sinatra suggested she consider yoga, T’ai chi, meditation, or some other good method to reduce stress. She said she liked T’ai chi and already did it. He told her to do it more.

He then asked her if she allowed herself to cry. She said yes. That’s good because crying is great release for emotional stress. Her husband, who had come with her, wondered why about laughter. Wasn’t laughter better for stress release and helpful for ailing hearts?

Both are good, and they are certainly better than holding emotions in the heart. Sometimes you laugh to the point of crying. When you cry or laugh a lot, the body releases endorphins. Endorphins are the body’s own painkillers. They have a natural tranquilizing effort. In other words, releasing these emotions is good for you mind, soul, and body!

For more information on alternative therapies for cardiovascular problems, visit www.drsinatra.com. While there, sign up for FREE e-letters or subscribe to Dr. Sinatra’s monthly newsletter, Heart, Health & Nutrition.

Fish and fish oil form a cornerstone of a good cardiovascular nutrition eating plan. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish are useful to everyone. Omega-3s can reduce triglycerides and reduce blood pressure levels at higher dosages.

Although fish is an integral part of the PAMM diet, it’s not as simple as eating any fish; you must be picky about the catch. Large, long-lived, ocean fish like tuna and swordfish tend to contain heavy metals, most notably mercury. The landlocked variety, like lake trout and catfish, contain industrial pollutants, typically polychlorinated biphenyls. I recommend that you eat any of these types of fish only once a month or less.

Fish in my approved group include anchovies, sardines, mackerel, whitefish, Atlantic halibut, sea trout, flounder, sole, scamp (baby grouper), haddock, scrod, and cod.

If you are not already a regular fish eater, I’ve included one of my favorite summertime recipes: Grilled Mediterranean Halibut. Top off with a green leafy salad, and you have a meal that just sings of great cardiovascular nutrition. Enjoy!

Grilled Mediterranean Halibut
(Makes 4 servings)

• 4 (5 to 6 oz.) halibut steaks
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• ½ tsp. grated lemon peel
• 3 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped and divided
• 2 tsp. capers, drained
• Fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat broiler. In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and lemon peel. Stir in capers and 2 tablespoons basil. Season halibut with pepper. Brush with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice mixture. Broil (or grill) until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Whisk remaining vinaigrette and pour over fish. Garnish with remaining basil.

Nutrition Facts per Serving: Calories 240; Total Fat 11 g Sodium 151 mg Total Carbohydrate 1 g Fiber 0 g; Protein 42 g

For more great heart-healthy recipes, visit Dr. Sinatra's Web site. While there, sign up for his FREE eLetters and monthly newsletter.

Lp(a) cholesterol has been of great interest to many of you, and we’ve had many comments posted on the topic. I’d like to take the opportunity to answer a sound question from a concerned mom, because it is exemplary of what folks often ask us in the office that all of you can benefit from it.

Like many of you looking at the results of your cholesterol profiles, she reports that she is not sure what constitutes an alarming abnormal Lp(a) value. In her 50-year-old daughter’s case, the blood work read as follows:

• Total Cholesterol:  173
• HDL:   74
• LDL:   87
• LDL cholesterol-C:  90
• Lp(a) : 12

In this particular case, there is no family history of cardiovascular disease, and the lipid panel results were within normal limits.

As with other blood level parameters, there may be some variation in normal ranges for Lp(a) as reported by different labs. I have seen some labs where up to 30 was within the normal range for the equipment and reagents they use. Our concerned mom reports that, for her daughter’s lab, anything over 10 is out of the normal range; hence her concern.

Her question is a good one. In the absence of any family history of cardiovascular problems and good cholesterol levels, how much should one be concerned about slightly elevated Lp(a)?

In this particular case, Dr. Sinatra and I would like to reassure her not worry about this finding. First of all, her daughter’s Lp(a) is only elevated two points (or  20 percent above the limit). Secondly, her high HDL “good” cholesterol levels of 74  (HDL > 60 for a woman,  and > 45 for men is considered desirable) is a very protective component. And, thirdly, there is no family or personal history of heart disease.
 
When do we get concerned? Dr. Sinatra takes action when he sees Lp(a) levels that are twice the normal limit (he sees some that are even four times higher or more!). In those cases, he recommends fish oil (a total of 2 grams/day in divided doses) and nattokinase (50 mg twice daily).

Even if your Lp(a) levels are normal, borderline, or even slightly elevated and you want to be more aggressive in your preventive medicine efforts, then just be sure that omega 3s are part of your daily vitamin and mineral plan. About one to two grams of a high quality fish oil—or squid oil—should do the trick.

Lp(a) may still be a new blood component to know about for many of you. Be sure to watch for an upcoming newsletter article on the seriousness of this risk factor. For other tips on healthy cholesterol levels, visit Dr. Sinatra's Web site. While there, don't forget to sign up for his FREE eLetters!

The spice turmeric is best known as an ingredient in Indian curry and yellow mustard. Turmeric has been Dr. Sinatra’s number one cardiovascular nutrition spice for years.

Turmeric’s yellow color comes from curcumin—a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound that’s been found to reduce the excess platelet aggregation that occurs in sticky, clot-forming blood.

Curcumin has an impressive list of positive research findings. In one study, investigators at Japan’s Kyoto Medical Center found that curcumin helps support healthy blood pressure levels in addition to preventing cardiac hypertrophy. They concluded that curcumin “may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for heart failure in humans.”

So don’t be afraid to use turmeric in your cardiovascular nutrition repertoire. You can add it to rice, soup, chicken, or tofu dishes, or you can blend it with melted butter and drizzle it over cooked vegetables. 

For even more information on maintaining healthy blood pressure levels and cardiovascular nutrition, visit www.drsinatra.com.

Several months ago, I posted a blog defining ejection fraction. I am thrilled that it has been helpful!

I recently had a blog reader asks a great question about ejection fraction and wanted to post the answer:

"I had a heart attack five years ago and a stent placed. All of my blood work is normal with good cholesterol measurements and C-RP of 1.13. I take Lipitor (20mg), Metropolis, Ramipril, and Plavix, and also [Dr. Sinatra’s] Omega Q Plus. The problem is my EF is 30-35%, with few symptoms. I exercise daily on my elliptical. What supplements of other steps can I take to improve my EF? Thanks for your support."

Dr. Sinatra’s Solution

Before looking at the supplements you asked about, I'd just like to mention that Dr. Sinatra recommends that his patients with an ejection fraction of 30 to 35 percent use walking as their primary exercise program. As a former cardiac rehab nurse, I also encourage folks—even my own dear uncle who is just recovering from a bout of congestive heart—to consider joining a Phase III Cardiac Rehab program if there is one in their area. There they can learn how to exercise safely with whatever cardiac limitations they may have. (Phase II is for those just recovering from recent heart attacks and heart surgery, whereas Phase II is for people who are more stable).

On the supplement front, Dr. Sinatra encourages people with low ejection fractions (with or without heart failure) to take what he calls his Awesome Foursome to build up ATP reserves. They include:

• CoEnzyme Q10: 100mg 3 times daily with meals
• D-Ribose: one scoop 2-3 times daily in fluids like water, tea, juice or sprinkled over your cereal or fruit
• L-Carnitine: 1 Gram 2-3 times daily on an empty stomach
• Broad spectrum magnesium: 100 mg 2-3 times a day

For more detailed discussion on Dr. Sinatra’s metabolic cardiology approaches that have worked for his patients with varying cardiac concerns—including low ejection fractions—I highly recommend that you read his book The Sinatra Solution: Metabolic Cardiology. 

For even more information on treating cardiovascular problems, visit www.drsinatra.com.